FlashBookedThe 5-Level Jobs Funnel for Irish Trades
From the Mick & Laura video. Most trades aren't short on work. They're losing it on the phone, in slow quotes and in quotes nobody follows up. Here's the whole flow, with every message to copy and when to send it.
Each level fixes one place jobs leak out. You don't need all five on day one. Start at level 1 and work down: every level you add catches jobs the one before it missed.
1Answer every call
The customer who rings you is usually ringing two or three others. If you don't pick up, the next fella does. When you're under a sink or up a ladder, something has to answer for you.
Your options, from good to best
- A voicemail that's actually current. The bare minimum. No holidays from 2019.
- Someone in the office or family who picks up and takes the details.
- An AI receptionist that answers in your business name, 24/7, gets the job details, books it in and rings you straight away for emergencies.
“Hi, you've reached Murphy Plumbing. I'm on a job right now. Leave your name, your area and what you need, or just text this number, and I'll come back to you today.”
Get these on every call
- Name and mobile number
- Address or Eircode
- What the job is, in their words
- How urgent it is (today, this week, just pricing)
- How they heard about you
2Text back every missed call, inside a minute
Some calls will still get missed. The fix is an automatic text that goes out within a minute, while they're still deciding who to ring next. Plenty of people would rather text than talk anyway.
“Hi, it's Mick from Murphy Plumbing. Sorry I missed your call, I'm on a job. What's the job and what area are you in? I'll get back to you today.”
“Hi, it's Mick from Murphy Plumbing. Sorry I missed you, we're closed for the evening. Reply with what you need and your area, and I'll be in touch first thing tomorrow. If it's an emergency, reply URGENT.”
The one rule: when they reply, someone answers the same day. A fast text followed by silence is worse than no text at all.
3Quote the same day
The first proper quote usually wins. Not the cheapest, the first one that looks professional and makes it easy to say yes. Send it the same day as the visit, from the van if you have to.
What every quote needs
- The price, with VAT shown clearly
- What's included, and what isn't
- A photo of a similar job you've done
- When you could start (two date options works well)
- Your deposit terms
- How long the price is valid
- One simple way to accept: reply YES, or tap a link
“Hi Sarah, thanks for having me out today. Here's the quote for the boiler swap, with a photo of one we did in Naas last month. I could start on the 14th or the 21st. Any questions, just reply here.”
Build two or three quote templates for your most common jobs, so a same-day quote takes five minutes, not an evening.
4Follow up every quote: day 2, day 5, day 10
Most quotes aren't a no. They're a “not yet”. People get busy, want to ask their partner, or are waiting on another price. Silence doesn't mean no. It means nobody followed up.
“Hi Sarah, just checking the quote for the boiler came through OK. Any questions at all, just reply here.”
“Hi Sarah, happy to go through anything on the quote, or change the spec if that helps. Still want to go ahead with the boiler?” For bigger jobs, ring instead.
“Hi Sarah, I've a slot free the week of the 21st. Should I pencil you in?”
“Hi Sarah, I won't keep chasing you. If you've gone with someone else, no problem at all. If the timing just isn't right, I'm here whenever you're ready.”
Stop the moment they reply. Short messages, one question each, and never lead with a discount. More on this in our guide to following up a quote without being pushy.
5Reviews + reminders
Your old customers are the cheapest jobs you'll ever get. They already trust you. Two things keep them coming back and sending their neighbours.
Ask for a review on the day
Ask while they're still delighted, before you've packed up the van, and send the link straight away so it takes them ten seconds.
“Thanks Sarah, great to get the boiler sorted. If you were happy with the job, a quick Google review would mean a lot to a small business like ours: [link]”
“Hi Sarah, hope the heating's flying. If you get a minute, here's that review link again: [link]. Thanks a million.”
Reply to every review, good or bad. People reading your reviews notice how you answer them.
Remind them before they need you
“Hi Sarah, it's Mick from Murphy Plumbing. Your boiler's due its annual service next month. Want me to book you in? I've slots on the 3rd and the 10th.”
Same idea for every trade: annual services, chimney sweeps, alarm checks, gutter cleans, EV charger checks, solar panel cleans. Anything that comes round once a year is a job you can book before they ring anyone else.
The whole flow on one page
You can run all of this by hand with a notebook and the templates above. The hard part isn't knowing what to send. It's remembering to send it while you're on the tools, every single time.
Want this running for your business?
On a free demo we map how jobs come in and out of your business today, show you where they're leaking, and tell you honestly what would fix it. No obligation.
Book a Free Demo Call Laura